Scottish Executive

Audiology

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether patients should wait up to two years to see an audiologist in a Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust hospital and what action it will take to remedy any such situation.

Mr Tom McCabe: Reducing waiting is a priority for the Executive. This was set out in the health white paper, A Partnership for Care. On Friday 13 June Malcolm Chisholm launched the Out-patient Action Plan which will help Scotland achieve the maximum wait of 26 weeks for out-patient appointments by 2005.

  The Executive made a commitment to modernise audiology services in response to the Public Health Institute report NHS Audiology Services in Scotland.

  We have asked NHS boards to develop modernisation action plans for hearing aid services, and an additional £1.5 million was made available earlier this year for the purchase of new audiology equipment. £750,000 was made available during 2002-03 to reduce waiting times.

  In 2003-04 boards will receive an average increase of 7.8% in their budget allocations. We expect boards to use some of this funding to help implement these plans. In addition the Executive is making £8 million of central funding available over the next four years to support the modernisation process, and will appoint a project manager to facilitate and co-ordinate modernisation over the next two years.

Care of Elderly People

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations in respect of any further closures of Church of Scotland care homes; what consideration it will give to this issue, and when it will do so.

Mr Tom McCabe: A number of such representations have been made and are currently being considered. I refer the member to the answer given to question S2O–88 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Carers

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will implement the commitments in Strategy for Carers in Scotland within the resources available and without placing any additional pressure on local authorities.

Mr Tom McCabe: Much has been achieved already to implement the commitments set out in the Carers Strategy, and the resources available to local authorities to support carers and provide respite care have more than quadrupled over the past five years. We will continue to work in partnership with local authorities, the NHS, carers and the voluntary sector to improve support for carers.

Dentistry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will establish an outreach training centre for dentists in Aberdeen; whether it will give details of any consultation exercise on the matter, including when any such exercise will be undertaken; whether it will provide details on any subsequent consultation on the need to develop the centre to a full dental school, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland , and how much funding is available for such projects.

Mr Tom McCabe: In a Partnership for a Better Scotland we highlighted our commitment to the development of an outreach centre and the associated increase in dental students to occupy such a centre. This is at present part of an outline cost appraisal exercise being undertaken by officials within the Scottish Executive in both Health and in Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning as the agreement could have implications for both departments.

  A dental hospital is a longer term option and could be disproportionately expensive. It is important that any consultation did not delay any initiatives. However, following discussions with key external agencies such as Grampian Health and universities associated with dental student teaching, we will publish our intentions.

  I have emphasised in a previous debate that shortages of dental workforce will not be solved by single issue initiatives but by a comprehensive change to the whole system which we have already started. One of our early successes has been the "golden hellos" which on initial assessment have assisted in recruitment of young graduates this year to Grampian and to dental practices in remoter parts of Scotland.

Digital Hearing Aids

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the provision of digital hearing aids to patients in the Grampian, Highland and Glasgow NHS board areas.

Mr Tom McCabe: This is a matter for the NHS boards concerned.

  I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-511 on 10 June 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Europe

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the minutes, papers and reports of the meeting of the ad hoc group on European strategy established by the Cabinet on 18 June 2003 will be made public and, in particular, whether copies will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and sent to relevant committees of the Parliament.

Mr Andy Kerr: As indicated in the Guide to Collective Decision Making , a copy of which is available on the Scottish Executive website, the Executive operates on the basis of collective responsibility and does not disclose details of the internal processes through which decisions have been made. For that reason, the Executive does not normally publish minutes of ad hoc groups of ministers.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any research has been commissioned into the patient charging system; if so, when the research will conclude and whether the results of the research will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive commissioned a review of patient charges for NHS dental services in Scotland in 2002. The report has been delivered and the options contained therein are currently under consideration. No decision has yet been made on possible publication of the report.

  The Executive is also committed to reviewing prescription charges for people with chronic health conditions and young people in full-time education or training. We expect the review to commence in the autumn.

Health Promotion

Mr Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to increase awareness of men’s health issues in (a) Aberdeen, (b) the Grampian NHS Board area and (c) Scotland.

Mr Tom McCabe: Increasing awareness of health issues in Aberdeen and the Grampian NHS Board area is the responsibility of Grampian NHS Board's Health Promotion Unit. The unit provides information and advice on a wide range of topics including diet, exercise, smoking cessation, oral health, mental health and well-being aimed at the whole community and also targeted at specific groups where appropriate. The board is planning a men's health month to take place in August this year.

  Grampian NHS Board should be approached directly for information about their plans and strategies for men's health.

  The Scottish Executive Health Department is taking forward a number of national approaches which will increase awareness of men's health. We are working with Men’s Health Forum Scotland (MHFS) to ensure that men’s health improvement is considered as an integral part of health policy. The National Sexual Health Strategy for Scotland which will go out for public consultation in the autumn will look at all aspects of sexual health, including men's health. We are funding Scotland's Health at Work (SHAW) over three years, 2001-02 to 2003-04, to create more health promoting workplaces as part of an integrated occupational health strategy for Scotland. There are four strands to the Executive's occupational health policy agenda: working with the Health and Safety Executive and others to implement the UK agenda; delivering improvements for NHS staff, and raising awareness and practice in the private and public sectors across Scotland. Whilst not targeted specifically at men, these occupational health initiatives will provide further opportunities for men to think about their health and to take measures to improve their health. We will also be developing and piloting a range of innovative programmes including well man clinics.

Justice

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many occasions fines imposed by courts have been recovered by civil diligence in each of the last six years, as referred to in section 214(6) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following tables.

  Number of Sheriff Court Fines Resulting in the Use of Civil Diligence1

  


Year Ending 31 December 
  

Number 
  



1996-97 
  

40 
  



1997-98 


26 
  



1998-99 
  

35 
  



1999-2000 
  

26 
  



2000-01 


11 
  



2001-02 
  

13 
  



  Note:

  1. The figures show fines marked for recovery by civil diligence in whole or in part. There are no figures available on the actual amounts recovered.

  Number of District Court Fines1 Resulting in the Use of Civil Diligence

  


Year Ending 31 March 
  

Number 
  



1996-972


15,774 
  



1997-983


34,072 
  



1998-99 
  

17,443 
  



1999-2000 
  

7,807 
  



2000-014


2,887 
  



2001-025


4,019 
  



  Notes:

  1. Includes court imposed fines, registered fines, compensation orders and fiscal fines.

  2. Excludes Renfrewshire and Scottish Borders.

  3. Excludes Argyll and Bute and West Dunbartonshire.

  4. Excludes City of Edinburgh and West Lothian.

  5. Excludes Argyll and Bute, Scottish Borders and West Lothian.

Local Government Finance

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what Glasgow City Council’s budget for occupational health aids and adaptations was in 2002-03 and is in 2003-04.

Mr Tom McCabe: This is a matter for Glasgow City Council. The level of information requested is not held by the Executive.

NHS Staff

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS trusts are fully compliant with the Working Time Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1833) and EU directive 93/104/EC.

Malcolm Chisholm: Compliance with the Working Time Regulations is the responsibility of NHSScotland employers. NHS HDL (2003) 3 helps employers to fully understand the implications of the Working Time Directive and to take the necessary action to ensure they meet with their legal responsibilities.

  NHS HDL (2003) 3, issued by the Executive to NHSScotland employers on 7 February 2003, asks all NHSScotland employers to hold documentary evidence to confirm compliance with the Working Times Regulations.

NHS Staff

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking against any NHS trusts that are non-compliant with the Working Time Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1833).

Malcolm Chisholm: Complying with the requirements of Working Time Regulations is the responsibility of NHSScotland employers. NHS HDL (2003) 3 helps employers to fully understand the implications of the Working Time Directive and to take the necessary action to ensure they meet with their legal responsibilities.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) powers and (b) plans it has to introduce toll charges for all users on the rail route from Stirling to Kincardine.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is still its intention not to impose tolling on the newly announced Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine rail line, as stated by the Minister for Transport in the debate in the Parliament on 12 June 2003 on public transport ( Official Report , c743), and whether it will seek to obtain, either directly or indirectly, any additional revenue from the re-opening of the line.

Nicol Stephen: There is no intention to impose toll charges on the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine line.

  The Office of the Rail Regulator has the power under the Railways Act 1993, as amended by the Transport Act 2001, to approve access agreements that require a user of the infrastructure to pay incremental charges reflecting the costs of the enhanced infrastructure. It is for the promoter of infrastructure projects to ask the rail regulator for these powers to be used in relation to their particular project.

  In the case of the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine rail link, the promoter of the railway has been considering the option of asking the Office of the Rail Regulator to approve an additional freight track access charge for the section from Alloa to Kincardine for companies that will benefit from the re-opening of the railway to freight traffic.

Rail Network

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost will be of the strategic transport authority referred to by the Minister for Transport during the debate on public transport on 12 June 2003 ( Official Report , c 744), broken down by year in respect of which an estimate has been made; how many employees the authority is likely to employ; whether it will be an entirely new body creating new jobs and, if not, which existing body it would replace, either in whole or in part; whether the authority will be located in accordance with the policy on the dispersal of public sector jobs, and what the reasons are for the position on the matter.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive will open consultation on our proposals for a strategic transport authority during the summer.

Royal Mail

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what intimation it received from Royal Mail regarding the proposed cessation of its contract with EWS; what action the Executive will take, or representations it will make on the matter, and what effect the cessation of the contract will have in respect of increased road journeys.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has not been approached by the Royal Mail on this issue. As I stated during the public transport debate in the Scottish Parliamentary Chamber on 12 June 2003, I intend to make representations to the UK Government to address the issues that led to the Royal Mail’s proposal to end its contract with EWS.

  The information in respect of increased road journeys is not held centrally.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs were of publishing, printing and distributing the final and project summary reports, Building Community Well-being: An Exploration of Themes and Issues

Mr Tom McCabe: The cost of printing and publishing the final report was £8,620 and the summary report £2,545. The total cost of distributing both reports was £5,309.

Sheltered Housing

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with providers of sheltered accommodation regarding standards of warden cover.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has not had any discussions with sheltered accommodation housing providers about standards of warden cover.

  However, if sheltered accommodation wardens provide housing support services, such services are regulated by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (the Care Commission) taking account of the appropriate National Care Standards developed and published by Scottish ministers.